Everyone gets denied when applying. I had a fantastic lawyer in Phila PA area and we appealed my denied application in 2004. Took 6 mths for trial. I applied for 1 yr of back payment because that's when I stopped working (and disability started). Judge only gave me a partial favorable: gave me SSDI and 6 mths back payment. So we appealed again for the other 6 mths. Took another 6 mths to go to trial. Judge denied my appeal. Every decision goes to the Appeals Council for review and the Council overturned Judge's decision and gave me second 6 mths I wanted. (Judge did not look at all of the evidence: ie paystubs, work absence).

fyi: My lawyer told me the first time I talked to him that he would rather take a mental disability case than a physical disability case because latter is usually harder to prove.

(And the Judge called my application documents "voluminous". They were about 12" high. My PDOCs notes were completely unreadable and my PDOC told me I had a "mediocre" case. F him - I was on SSDI in mid 90's after ECT for one thing. The Judge was one nasty SOB but my Lawyer was very sharp.)